Essential components for effective treatment of depression and other disorders.

I haven’t read the book but the article suggest it could be a great read for those seeking more information. Similar to the CHIME model for addiction recovery (an acronym for Connectedness, Hope, Identity, Meaning , Empowerment).

Cowan then categorizes the effective approaches into five major themes:

1. Emotional Support

We are social creatures who crave empathy and connection. That’s why emotional support, reassurance, and compassion from psychiatrists, psychologists, support groups, and family and friends dominate the top ten effective strategies. Cowan’s findings indicate that the emotional support and reassurance provided by psychiatrists and psychologists is judged more important than their treatments, which concurs with previous studies that have shown that the quality of the relationship between a clinician and patient is the best predictor of a successful outcome.

3. Lifestyle Strategies

Both vigorous exercise (equivalent of running for 30 minutes 4-6 days per week) and moderate exercise (equivalent of walking for 30 minutes 4–6 times per week) were rated as very effective. Other helpful lifestyle approaches include: getting a good night’s sleep, being able to relax, doing meditation or yoga, engaging in hobbies, getting massages, and reducing intake of alcohol and recreational drugs.

4. Fulfilling Work

Cowan credits his fulfilling work — offering hope to persons stuck in depression — as one of the most powerful tools he uses to stay well. “I experienced personally the benefits of doing voluntary work in my own recovery,” he writes. “My voluntary work involved placing discouraged people (new migrants or people rehabilitating from physical or mental illness) into volunteer positions with charities. I saw how the work lifted their self-esteem and confidence.”

Fulfilling work was rated more highly than cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is often considered a highly effective depression treatment. Cowan cites the Gallup poll that found that only 20 percent of employees like what they do, but that people with a high career well-being were more than twice as likely to succeed in life overall. Dan Baker, Ph.D., director of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch, and many other positive psychologists believe that a sense of purpose — committing oneself to a noble mission — and acts of altruism are strong antidotes to depression.

5. Prescription Medications

The results of Cowan’s surveys found that, while prescriptionmedications can play a vital role to recovery from depression and bipolar disorder, they should not be relied on as the sole strategy. Pharmacology is still in its infancy. A drug that works wonders for one person might not do anything for another except give her a dry mouth and nausea. Cowan writes: “This stresses the importance of working with a doctor who’s highly experienced in successfully treating mood disorders.”